I listen to the sounds the leaves make as they fall to the ground,
Look at the way the water moves as the breeze blows,
Smell the crisp air as the sun beams,
And I wonder if they notice all the same things about me.

Each night
The sliver grows
Like young buck antlers,
Gambolling
Beneath the thunderous claps
Gathering
Over our part
Of the world,
In July.

I was going to tell you

That I think I’m falling in love

With you

It’s just that I thought

You’d have enough to celebrate today

It being The Fourth and all

July 4th is a Holiday filled with celebration,
Complete with BBQs and Fireworks
And exclamations of "Happy Independence day"
But people seem to fail to add the asterisk at the end
The hidden meaning, the fine print, the text between the lines if you will.
Because July 4th is not everyones's independence day.
July 4th only signifies the independence of a particular group of people
A group of people who fought for their freedom, but didn't allow it in their own back yards.
When these people were out celebrating their independence, my ancestors, my family, where in fields, working, in houses trying to stay alive
My women trying to stay away from their masters ****** them-
Whoops, sorry, I meant "Celebrating."
So what reason do I have to call July 4th my independence day?
If anything, my independence day is December 16th, the ratification of the 13th amendment
Or Juneteenth
Or January 1st, the day that the emancipation proclamation was ratified.
So while everyone else is celebrating the New Year, I think about what else that day has brought
Brought about the freedom of a people, my people.
Made them citizens, made them real, made them free.
Well, kinda free.
We've come so far.
And of course, I am not trying to blame white people today for what happened in the past, they should not be held accountable for the actions of the people from whom they've descended
But instead I want my black brothers and sisters to think, to remember, where we are coming from.
So yes, I hope everyone has a happy independence day*
Just keep in mind that it's not mine.

By Arcassin Burnham

A failure at heart of all the most harshest things
Will never see the inside of a lovely fling,
I will never get to experience the finer things,
And will never get to take in all the beautiful things,

Disgrace by some and mistaken by others,
Everyone sees you as an entity just hiding in dark
Corridors and making the ghost sounds because your
Trapped behind a curtain of shame and pure let downs
Scurrying from the scenes that you've failed to realize,
I wonder how the stars would look in Paradise,
Everyday I realize that I could never do what you do,
Could never obtain the statuses that you possess to be crude,
No I'm not as strong but I'm not afraid to hit you in the face,
To be ridiculed will get you killed, this is not a phase,

When I say I hate you it's not a metaphor,
Family or not , I trust no one,
If this is the way life has to be then bring more,
I'm use to situations anyway to find out what else is in store,
I will be great,
I will rise,

19.